


Vault

by AmebThings



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020)
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Domestic Fluff, Drabble Collection, Established Relationship, Fluff and Angst, Friendship/Love, Graphic Depiction of Injuries, Graphic Description, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mentions of Sex, Partners Living Together, Secret Relationship, Sharing a Bed, Sleeping Together, Swearing, hints of PTSD, no beta read
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-07
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:00:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 19
Words: 16,313
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26343775
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AmebThings/pseuds/AmebThings
Summary: Short stories centered around a certain pair of Turks, trying to live their lives.
Relationships: Reno/Rude (Compilation of FFVII)
Comments: 68
Kudos: 142





	1. Wish

**Author's Note:**

> It's just a place for me to write down some ideas I come up with, that are still too long to be turned into comics, but not long enough to kill me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rude learns not to wish for things.

Rude learned to be careful with making wishes.

"I wish I could see you in your natural hair" he says one day, watching his partner sit on the edge of a bathtub, busy covering his roots with red dye. Reno looks at him in the bathroom mirror and barks out a short laughter.

"You'd hate it. I look like a sewer rat."

Rude sits down next to him, curls his arm around Reno's slim waist. He looks at their reflection, notices Reno turn to him, the tip of his nose touching Rude's neck.

"I'd just like to see that."

He gets his wish later that year, when prematurely cut bomb wire trapps Reno in a hospital contraption for months, while materia-infused nanobots work on rebuilding his shattered spine.  
Rude can only pay him short visits, time measured by the dark brown color overpowering the red strands. 

Reno was right - Rude hates it.


	2. Workout

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Tseng calls, Rude doesn't pick up his phone, but Reno does.

It wasn't like Rude to not pick up his phone. Part of the Turks' job was being on the line 24/7. Tseng tsk-ed, hanging up, and scrolled down to find Reno's number. He was the next obvious choice.

Reno picked up after a fifth signal, his loud breathing crackling through the speaker.

"Y-yeah?..."

"New assignment, code five three eight - what's going on over there?"

"Workout" Reno replied instantly through the quick shallow gasps. "In the m-middle of it...actually..."

Tseng moved the phone away from his ear, as sounds from the other side became louder and more obnoxious.

"Couldn't get a hold of Rude, so you're up in twenty"

"Hah...hah, yes-"

"Reno."

"Yes!" a loud shriek sizzled through the phone. "Yes, got it- nnnngh..." a low strained whine, like one makes while lifting weights. "Code five three eight, just give me - give me location!..." more labored breathing.

"Up six." Tseng sighed. "Twenty minutes."

There was a crackling huff of air, followed by a softly said "fuck", and another word, sounding suspiciously like "more", before Tseng hang up. 

That had to do for a confirmation.


	3. Watchful

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reno has odd sleeping habits.

It took a while for Rude to notice.

Reno slept whenever and wherever he got a chance for it - during stand by, curled on a bunk bed inside a resting storage, or after finished paperwork, splayed out on a black couch of their conference room.

Rude learned the rhythm of his partner's breathing - slow, deep inhales and exhales of actuall deep slumber, contrasting with long, but shallow, controlled intakes of air, telling him that he's actually awake and attentive, even from across the room.

As a Turk, Rude developped a light sleep, whenever out on a mission. But at his own home, he could relax and get a full night of undisturbed rest.

Maybe that's why it took him this long, even after Reno started staying the night at his place.

A day ended, and they winded up in the apartment, already busy with touches and kisses. Rude came by some time later, feeling pleasantly spend and rested. He stretched, looking over at his partner with a soft smile. Reno layed on his side, facing away, his red hair tangled over the steel gray sheets.

Then, like on cue, his body twitched, red head rose from the pillow in clear alarm. Rude moved closer to the pale body, kissing away the goosebumps from the skin of his partner's arms. 

"You okay?" he whispered, but Reno didn't respond, pushing his back more into the warmth of Rude's body, his breathing falling into the steady flow. Rude followed, not paying more attention to it. 

Next time it happened, when Rude was busy finishing a mystery novel he picked up from the bookstore. They both went to bed around 11 pm, Reno falling face first into his partner's chest, mumbling curses about the next day's mission, while Rude decided to read, entranced by the book's plot.

Three hours later Rude finished reading the epilogue and sighed with content, staring over the ridge of the book, lost in thoughts. On his chest Reno suddenly stirred, eyes blinking open, conscious. Rude watched them dart to the bedroom door, to the bedroom window, to Rude's hands, and finally to his face. Rude said nothing, raising his eyebrows in a silent question, but Reno simply closed his eyes again, snuggling closer with a huff. Didn't take him long to fall back asleep, just like that.

Either emerging after taking a path of a Shinra agent, or a relic behaviour from his propably not the greatest past, Rude didn't ask. Reno would continuously wake up suddenly after three, four hours of sleep, always outside the Shinra Tower. He'd check out the surroundings, without moving from his spot, just to fall back asleep shortly after. 

And whenever Rude was awake to witness this, he would stroke his partner's hair or arm, or back in a soothing manner, to remind him he's not alone.

After all, Reno was watching out for both of them.


	4. The usual day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Director Tuesti gets to watch the Turks' way of working and he wishes he didn't.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special thanks to MadManta, whose latest fics inspired me to actually include Reeve in this lil story ❤️

Reeve should've known it's going to be a bad idea.

He tried to pay handsomely for rebuilding works, knowing that people need money either way, but to hear the workers didn't move one finger since recieving payment...He was so done with this. 

Maybe that's why he decided to go talk to them himself.

Maybe picking a random storage square among abandoned warehouses wasn't the most rational choice. So of course he got hit on the head and blacked out.

He woke up inside one of the storages, arms and legs binded to a single chair in the entire room. Five men surrounded him, armed to the teeth, wanting revenge on Shinra and what not.

And honestly Reeve was almost glad. He wanted to be punished, he wanted pain. At this point he could care less of what would happen to him. So he stared back at his captors, listening to their passionate hate slurs spat into the disposable mobile.

But then the storage doors creaked.

Everyone looked that way and what happened next, Reeve could only describe as a blur of motion and screams. He saw one large figure step inside, sending one of the men flying through the room, while a black-red snake slithered around his legs, taking out two of the others. Electricity crackled through the air, Reeve caught a flash of a toothy smile, before he closed his eyes shut, curling into himself. Two, three rounds of shots rang in his ears, followed by heavy thuds of falling bodies. 

And then silence. A set of steps closing in on him. Reeve gritted his teeth.

"Director sir?" said someone in a mocking tone. "Tuestiiii...Yo, Reeve!"

A hand landed on his shoulder, snapping him out. Instead of a snake, he saw a man with ridiculus red hair, dressed in all black. There was another one, dark skinned and bald, kneeling by what was left of his captors. The room smelled like ozone...and blood. 

"There he is!" exclaimed the redhead happily, tapping his leg with a dangerously looking security baton. Crimson dripped from its end. "You with me, man?"

Reeve looked back onto the man's face. He knew them, both of them. The Turks, part of the General Affairs' Division. Rude and Reno. 

"What-" he managed to croak, before he saw a pale finger in front of his face, moving from left to right.

"No concussion it seems" the man muttered to himself, then grabbed Reeve's head and turned it to the side. Reeve hissed softly. "Nasty bruise tho. One potion should do the trick."

The bald man joined them, kneeling behind the chair. 

"Weren't you suppose to leave one alive, Reno?" he spoke in a deep, calm voice. The red Turk sighed and rolled his eyes, like a child, being scolded for not washing his hands. He got up, moving towards the bloody bodies on the floor. A snapping sound caught Reeve's attention, and soon his limbs were all free. 

"Are you alright, sir?" the bald Turk, Rude asked, handing him over a health potion. Reeve took it carefully, hands shaking slightly.

"Yes, t-thank you" he finally said, clearing his throat. "I mean, thank you for...saving me."

Rude said nothing, watching him closely through the dark lenses of his shades. Reeve looked down at the potion in his palm and drank it in one gulp. It burned his throat, but the headache ceased.

"I'm fine, really" he said, feeling Rude's gaze glued to his face. It's not-"

Reeve chose to focus back on the other Turk, who picked that exact moment to punch one of the unconcious men straight on the chest. There was a sickening bone cracking sound, and the man started brokenly wheezing for air. Reeve twitched, as Reno turned to them with a thumbs up gesture.

"Got ya a live one!"

Rude grunted in confirmation, throwing his partner a large roll of tape - which Reno caught without even looking at that direction. Then Rude gently grabbed Reeve's elbow, helping him up.

"Well, uh..." Reeve spoke through the winding noises of the tape, being rolled around wrists and ankles. He wanted to ask, why are they here, how did they know where to find him, who send them - all those questions stuck, not needed. Rude stepped into the corner, fishing out his phone and making a call somewhere. 

"Understood" he said at the end of this very short, one-sided conversation. He moved, standing byy Reeve's side. "Let's go, sir".

"Where are we going?" Reeve managed to say, before Rude gently nudged him towards the exit. 

"We're taking you home."

Reeve wanted to protest, wanted to say it's fine for him to take a train, but again, he said nothing, moving carefully forward, polished, expensive shoes avoiding any contact with the dark, pooling liquid, and dead flesh. He stepped outside the storage room, with Rude following close behind. Reeve's car was nowhere to be seen, only a sleek, matt-black hatchback was parked neatly by the road. 

"Where's my-"

"We're tracking it" Rude said, standing by the vehicle, clearly waiting. His partner showed up in the doors soon after, whistling, pulling out a large man's body by the tied up legs. After dropping it into the trunk, they got Reeve into the car's backseat, both of the Turks sitting in the front, with Rude behind the wheel. 

"Buckle up!" Reno threw over his shoulder, and Reeve mindlessly scrambled for a seatbelt. 

"You don't know my address..." he mumbled, still in a bit of a shock from all this. Reno tapped the windshield with his rod.

"We know everyone's addresses." 

Of course they did.

Reeve stayed quiet for the rest of the ride, listening to the Turks talking. Or rather, Reno was talking, bragging about his fighting skills, while Rude was only making non committal sounds. At some point Reno suggested they get a takeout on their way back, and cheerfully asked Reeve, if he preferred Chocobo Dums, or Moogle Noodle. And Reeve answered: well, noodles of course, because driving in a car WITH a body stashed in its trunk made him forget about his long-lived hatred towards noodle stands. 

And sure enough, they soon stopped by Reeve's place. No one moved to assist him with leaving, but Reeve wasn't expecting it. 

"Thank you" he repeated, stumbling on the sidewalk. Reno sticked his head outside the tinded window.

"Be careful next time, Director sir!" he smirked, lowering his tone. "If there's an outside problem, you know where to find us..."

Reeve repressed a shiver, trying not to lose appearance. 

"What are you going to do with the, uh..." his eyes wandered to the trunk of their car. Reno's smile widened.

"Absolutely standard interrogation" he saluted him mockingly, keeping that pose as they drove away. Reeve watched their car merge with the traffic, before he let out a long breath.

Now he really needed a shower and a handful of sleeping pills.


	5. Aftermath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rude gets badly injured and suffers the side effects of efficient magical healing.

No one ever wondered what happened next. 

They'd roll out of another successful mission, bleeding, coughing up their insides, but no worries - one full blown Cura would fix broken bones, and after a Mega Potion, all the cuts and bruises would disappear. Good as new, right?

Reno watched his partner intentively. Rude got the bad end of the stick this time, really close to actually biting the dust - with several broken bones, and quite severe blood loss. Right now he looked fine, hands on the car wheel, eyes on the road ahead. But Reno knew all too well it wouldn't last long - he just hoped they can reach their apartment in time.

It started in the parking lot. Rude's breathing changed, getting faster and labored, fingers curling into fists, making the leather of his gloves creak. Beads of sweat started rolling down his neck, when they entered the elevator. Reno watched his partner step inside slowly and cautiously, minding his every step, like he wasn't sure of himself. Reno entered behind him, actually keeping his distance, still quiet. Normally, he would either be draped around Rude's neck like a scarf, or just lean hard against him, yearning for some comforting physical contact. Not this time.

Rude almost collapsed by the apartment's door. He curled into himself, grabbing onto the wall in the last moment to keep straight. 

"Oh shit" Reno frantically fumbled with his keys to open the door. He jumped inside first, turning on the dim lights in the kitchen corner and going back to fetch his partner. Rude was stuck in the door frame, breathing hard through dry, parted lips. At this point he was covered in sweat, his shades slid down to the tip of his nose, exposing tightly shut eyes. 

"Come on" Reno said quietly, reaching to his partner's arm. "Get in."

"Don't-" Rude jerked away, sliding inside with his back against the wall. He hissed in pain as he made one more step and almost dropped to his knees. Reno caught him this time and  
winced, as Rude let out this pained low moan. 

"I know, I know, 'm sorry" Reno babbled quickly, trying to manouver his partner deeper into the flat and hopefully to the bed. He tried to keep his touch feather light, but he had to support Rude's weight. They made few very slow, very painful steps forward, Rude whimpering with each one.

And that was normal, that's how it looked afterwards. With all the bones reattached by magic and wounds dulled with potions, the body would catch up with itself even hours later, releasing all the muscle stress and exertion - that would make everything hurt, the slightest touch equally impactful as a punch. The best they could do was to wait it out, sleep it off - that's why Reno aimed for the bedroom. But he was sure they won't make it in one go.

"I can't-"

Reno's heart squeezed achingly at the weak sound of his partner's voice. Bedroom was too far away, couch was way more possible. Rude dropped heavily on the dark faux leather, hissing with each move. Reno backed away, letting hm adjust on his own, watching his muscles spasm uncontrollably, vawes of pain clearly visible on his pale face. 

"You can't stay here" he finally said in the same low voice, removing his jacket in one swift motion. "We gotta get you to bed, man"

"Fuck off-" 

It's the pain talking, Reno knew that. Giving his partner a small break, he retreated back to the kitchen corner, filling a glass with cold water. Rude should eat something, but in his current state, he wouldn't be able to hold anything down, not to mention chewing. 

Reno walked back to the couch, where Rude managed to half-sit, with his head laying flat on the backrest, jaw clenched shut, teeth clattering. 

"Water" Reno said softly, turning the glass over above his partner's mouth, waiting. It took Rude a moment to loosen his muscles to actually part his lips and focus on water droplets, falling onto his tongue. 

Few minutes passed, in silence, and almost complete darkness. Reno knew it wasn't over though, putting the glass away. 

"Rude, come on" he said. "You gotta get to bed"

Rude said nothing, jaws clamping shut, limbs shaking. Reno kneeled by his side. 

"We'll make it quick."

No response. Reno could almost feel Rude preparing himself for the next torturously long few steps. His muscles, once they'd stop shaking, would stiffen, and feel super heavy. Rude wouldn't be able to move the entire next day, and they couldn't have that - they had work tomorrow.

"Rude." Reno patted the couch's armrest, getting up and reaching for his partner's elbow. Rude let out a desperade growl, breathing in short stutters, before pushing himself off the pillows.

The short distance to the bedroom was excrutiating for both of them. Rude was heaving, letting out long, low moans that made Reno's stomach turn. Landing finally on the bed, Reno backed away as soon as Rude's body was secured from sliding off. He darted to the windows, closing off the blinds and turned, looking at his partner, brows furrowed with worry. Rude was soaked in sweat, his purple dress shirt clinging to his dark skin. His eyes were closed again, sunglasses lost in the commotion somewhere, fists shaking over the dark grey sheets. Reno wouldn't even dream of taking off his partner's shoes or gloves - tugging the skin would cause even more distress.

All he could really do, was to leave Rude alone in hope that the pain will cease enough to let him sleep. He went to take a quick shower, throw his clothes into a laundry bin, put on something to sleep in. He locked the front door and turned off the unneccesary lights, quietly entering the bedroom. He stopped by the door, leaning his head over the frame, focused on his partner's breathing. It calmed down at least a bit, so he slithered inside, trying to stay as silent as possible. He crawled on the other side of the bed, curling on the covers with a sigh. He was tired, but Rude wasn't out of the woods yet. So Reno fell in and out of a light sleep, watching his partner in case things get worse.

Thankfully nothing else happened that night. After opening his eyes for a hundreth time, Reno 's blues meet the calm, soft gaze of chocolate browns. Rude blinked at him reassuringly, his whole body much more relaxed, breathing way slower and quieter than before. Reno raised his head from the pillow, asking wordlessly and Rude responded with an actual smile - a clear sign he's alright. 

There was no need for words, no need for questions and answers. Rude slowly reached across the bed towards him, and Reno took his stiff hand into his palm, massaging the life back into his still rigid fingers. He placed a delicate kiss on the dark knuckles before letting go, lips curling into a tired smirk. 

After a moment Rude got up with a tiny groan - worlds different from the sounds he was making before - and disappeared, with a sound of a shower following soon after. Reno listened to it for a few minutes, before he fell asleep for good. 

He didn't register getting pulled under the covers and into a warm embrace some time later.


	6. Headache

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rude gets a headache at work.  
> Big thank you to MadManta, TheTurksPajamas and cryogenia for the headache idea that i blatantly stole <3

Reno was looking for his partner. 

After Heidegger's flashy presentation of their next assignment, Rude excused himself and disappeared for the next ten minutes. Tseng was getting impatient, so of course Reno was send out to fetch his other half and cue him on the details he missed.

"Rude?" Reno opened the door to the conference room. It was dark inside, the only light sources being the bleeping lights of the desk screens. He flipped the wall switch, basking the place in a cold, glaring light. "You're in here?"

"Turn it off" came a pained grumble from the black leathered couch. Rude was laying on his side like a wounded animal, face pressed to the hard side rest. Reno turned the lights off immediately and stepped inside.

"Headache." It was a statement, rather than a question. "Fuck, man..."

They were suppose to leave in fifteen minutes tops. Reno came over to his partner and sat down by his side, gently rubbing his back. 

"How bad?" he asked, lowering his voice to a whisper. No answer - meaning it was bad.

"Fucking Heidegger and his fuckin lasers..." Reno muttered angrily. Not something for someone with light sensivity. "Take a break, yeah? I'll go with Laney."

"No" Rude sat up, hands pressing on his forehead. "I'm fine. It'll pass..."

He didn't seem to be fine though, as he lifted his head, groaned again and turned to Reno, burying his face in his partner's chest. 

"You're fine, huh?" Reno whispered mockingly, as Rude's arms circled around his waist to keep him still. He had no idea why Rude kept doing this while suffering a headache. But his partner claimed it helped a lot, and who he was to deny that? Besides, it was nice to sit like this, minus his partner being in pain - that one was a bummer. So he sighed, relaxing, and idly stroking the back of Rude's neck. Hopefully they could wait it out and-

"There you are!"

Elena bursted into the conference room, switching on the lights. Rude hissed through his teeth, pushing his face more into his partner's pecs. Reno closed the man's head in a tight embrace, shielding him from the sounds and visuals as best as possible.

"Boss is looking for...What are you two doing?"

"Shh!"

She stopped by the door, clearly taken aback. Reno furrowed his brows. 

"Turn the damn lights off...!"

Elena jumped slightly, obediently flipping the switch back.

"What's going on?" 

"Headache." Reno whispered angrily. "Tell Tseng we'll be right there for fuck's sake..."

"Um..." 

He couldn't see clearly in the sparse outside lighting, but he was pretty sure Elena was blushing.

"Why is Rude's face in your chest...?"

Reno grimaced. He could almost hear wild gossipy thoughts running through her blonde head. Elena was a good Turk, a solid fighter and a fun colleage to be around, but she could jump into conclusions way too quick. 

"What, you wanna switch?" he growled, tightening his hold around Rude's head. "Then get your ass over here and help, your tits are bigger than mine, so you'll pass for a nice pillow-" 

"What?! No!..." if she hadn't turn red before, she surely did now, hugging herself to hide her breasts. "I'm not doing that!..."

"Then go calm your boyfriend down, we'll be there soon" Reno waved her off, like nothing out of the ordinary was happening. Elena huffed in offence and stormed out, which was quite amusing, because she tried to do that as quiet as possible.

"Good one" Rude said softly after she left. Reno rolled his eyes and touched Rude's head with his nose.

"I panicked." he muttered. 

"You bought us some time." Rude's hands stroked his sides. "I ain't complaining."

Reno wouldn't either, if they weren't on the clock. But they were.

"Then fight that headache off. We oughta leave soon." he placed a small, carefully hidden kiss on the top of his partner's head. 

"Trying to."

"Good."

A minute of silence passed between them.

"Just so you know" Rude spoke suddenly. "I prefer your tits over Elena's." 

Reno tried hard to supress the laughter, bubbling in his throat.

"Good" he coughed out. "You better."


	7. Paycheck

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While watching a target, Reno and Rude discuss their first ever shopping decisions.

"Haha, look at this asshole" Reno puts his head down, chin resting on top of his folded arms. "I betcha he's gonna pick pasta next."

Rude says nothing, eyes on the target, as always. They're two stores high, leaning over the see-through barrier, looking down at the shopping district. It's been a while since the last time they've visited an upper plate shopping mall. 

There's a man in a sandy coat, nonchalantly walking the isles, picking up exotic fruits and placing them in his shopping basket. Their eyes are glued to his head, following his every step. Waiting.

"Hey Rude" Reno kicks the cheap plastic they're holding on to. "You remember what you've spend your first ever money on?"

Rude looks over at his partner, slightly confused. Where did this come from?

Reno shrugs in response to the question never asked, turning his face to the side, cheek touching the soft fabric of his jacket. "I remember, that's all."

The target moves from the fruits to the dry products and stands there, debating between two packs of pasta of various shapes. Rude clears his throat.

"Glasses."

Reno leers at him, sharply shaped eyebrow skyrocketing up to his goggles. Do tell. And Rude does. 

"My first gig...A bouncer for this really fancy club downtown. Neons were driving me crazy."

"Sensitive eyes?" Reno comments, and there's not even a hint of mockery. Rude nods.

"We got payed weekly, so it was easier to grab a handfull and go shopping."

The target walks off to the side, and they slide along the barrier, legs following the upper part of the bodies. 

"I didn't know which would be best, so I just stepped into a salon and asked." Rude continues, once they settle, watching over the isle of canned sauces. "They got me an extra dark pair."

"Sounds like a good investment."

"It was" Rude's lips twitch into a smirk. "Next week I got payed double, and they moved me to the VIP section."

"Cause you looked like hot stuff" Reno winks at him. "Of course you got to watch over bigger fishes."

"Yeah."

They fall back into silence, watching the target struggle with picking the best canned tomatoes. Rude makes a sound, shifts his legs, straightens his back. He waits for his partner to pick the conversation back up.

"I spend it on food." Reno finally says, fingers playing with the black belts around his sleeves. 

"Food." Rude blinks. "Like, a fancy dinner?"

Reno chuckles.

"No, like, food." He moves, switches arms, leans over the second one. "When I got my first Turks' pay, I was floored. Never seen that much money in one take. So I decided to spent it all on everything I could never afford."

Reno stuck out his right arm, looking at his gloved hand. "Chocolates, chips, candies..." he counts, bending his fingers down one by one with each word. "Frozen pizzas, yoghurts, those ready-made tv dinners, cookies, fries, ice creams..."

Rude says nothing, just listens, the list of the junkfood growing and growing.

"I swear, I bought like, half the store." Reno huffs. "Brought it all back to my rookie Shinra room and just...stuffed my face with it."

"You ate it all" Rude rephrases, moving again from his spot. Reno follows, keeping his arms folded over the plastic railing - the target now fiddling through the wine bottles.

"Yep. Tried to, at least." Reno sticks out his tongue at Rude, as they both lean away from the barrier, arching their spines like they're in the middle of a yoga class. They resume their positions right when the target stops looking up. 

"It ended up as miserable as you can imagine" Reno continues. "Couldn't leave the bathroom for days, thought I'll die. Veld was pissed, obviously. Couldn't eat for a week, the smell of anything edible was making me gag." 

"I think I remember" Rude muses. "The vanilla cake?"

Reno groans.

"Fuck, don't get me started...Whoever had birthday in the office that day, I swear..."

"I was wondering where you were."

"Trying not to die of the smell alone" Reno's head rose from the pillow of his arms. "Oh are you fucking kidding me-"

Rude turns his gaze back to their target and sees a package of vanilla cake, poking out of his shopping cart.

"That's it. He's dead" Reno cracks his knuckles. "No one picks vanilla cake and gets away with it." 

He looks over at Rude. "You with me on this?"

"Yeah" Rude smiles, letting go of the railing. "Yeah, let's do this shit."


	8. Remedy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Heavy rain leaves Reno sick and miserable. Rude introduces him to some old ways of fighting it.

It's been pouring all over Midgar for the last few days.

They tried to avoid standing outside for too long without umbrellas, but karma turned out to be a bitch, and they ended up chasing gang members all over Sector 2's upper plate. Once they've hit a dead end with the car, Reno shot out of his seat like a bullet, running after the culprit with a speed of a cheetah. 

Still, it took them whole day to catch the bastard and Reno couldn't resist roughing him up a little. Well deserved, considering how many hours he spend out in the rain. 

Rude watched his partner come back to the car, shoes and clothes squeaking with every step.

"You'll soak the seat" he commented. Reno shot him a death glare from the side, folding his arms over his chest. Yeah, no shit.

Few hours later in the office, Reno started making the "sick person" noises. He kept clearing his throat, brows furrowed in annoyance, glassy eyes reading the same page of the report over and over. He didn't talk much, which was weird on its own, and when presented with an opportunity to "interrogate" the caught culprit, he turned it down.

"Rude can do it" he said, shrugging. "Or Laney. I'mma turn in for the day."

"This early." Tseng said dryly.

"Gimme a break, ok? I feel like crap" Reno barked back. "I'mma go home and choke on some cough syroup..."

They watched him leave, and Rude felt a sting of pity towards his partner. Good thing he had a plan to fix it, even before he and Elena stepped into the dark underground cell to do some...standard interrogation.

***

Rude opened the door to his apartment, stepping quietly inside. It was dark, the blinds were closed as he left them this morning. But sure enough, Reno's shoes layed abandoned on the carpet, one after the other, leading to the bedroom, his wet jacket crumpled in a pile by the bathroom door. 

Rude turned on the kitchen lights, placing the grocery bags on the counter. With a sigh, he took care of wet clothing articles first, picking them up to throw into the laundry basket. He found Reno in the bedroom, curled in a cocoon of the covers, bright red hair sticking out on one side. He was asleep, but from the sounds he was making, it wasn't the most comfortable nap. 

Rude left him there, closing the bedroom door, and came back to the living room. Instead of the tv, he turned on his old vinyl record player. With the soft, smooth sound of blues, quite fitting the weather, he started unloading the grocery bags. Tons of very pricey vegetables, some meat for the base, lots of garlic and onions, spices. He hoped Reno will stay out his way for at least an hour.

He was in luck. Third record in and a hundred pages of the book later, the bedroom door creaked, and Reno emerged, still tightly wrapped in a blanket. Rude turned on the couch to look at his partner and noted that yes, he looked like death. Obviously unable to smell the rich aroma surrounding the apartment, Reno ignored his surroundings and went straight to the bathroom. He came back shortly after, plopping down on the far end of the black leathered couch. 

"How're you feeling?" Rude asked, putting the book down. Reno didn't answer, bringing his legs up to his chin, sitting like a very unhappy owl, staring at the floor.

"I can't fucking sleep" he croaked instead, placing his forehead on his knees. "Fuck that weather, man."

"You should eat something" Rude got up. It was time to fetch them both some good old home-made remedy. 

"I don't wanna" came a weak mumble. Rude let it slide for now. He turned off the stove, and took off the pot's cover, releasing even more of the soup's smell. Then he took out two bowls and poured some of the broth in, carefully placing vegetable pieces in one of them. Reno was very stubborn about eating things other than fast food. 

And he kept that attitude even while being sick.

"I'm not hungry" he muttered at the bowl, poking him on the elbow. Rude placed his portion on the coffee table and sat by his partner's side. The last record ended and Reno helped himself to a tv - some silly game show blaring out at them.

"It's going to help you. Trust me" Rude said softly. Reno tore his eyes off the screen to give the bowl a suspicious look. "You'll feel a lot better."

"You made ramen?"

"That's not ramen" Rude pushed the bowl into Reno's clammy hands. "Eat."

Reno grimaced, stirring the soup with the spoon.

"It doesn' even have noodles..."

"It's not ramen, Reno. It's just broth."

"That's a poor man's soup."

"Eat" Rude was losing his patience. "Vegetables are good for you."

Reno snorted.

"That's what your mother say, when you're too damn poor to afford meat..." he muttered under his breath, finally taking the first slurp. Rude picked up his own bowl and started eating too.

The broth had wonderfull richness to it, very profound flavour of meat base and vegetables mixed together with added spices, giving each gulp a sweat-inducing heat. Reno must've had some of the tasting abilities untouched, because he stopped wincing with each spoon, instead looking at the broth with picked interest.

"How is it?" Rude asked, masking a smile. 

"It's good, I guess" Reno said. "Spicy as fuck though. Making my balls sweat like crazy."

Reno finished his bowl before Rude, and put it back on the table with way more vigor than before. He settled back in the blankets, occassionaly smirking at the tv. Rude waited exactly five minutes, before the read head fell on Rude's shoulder.

"What did you put in that soup?" Reno yawned, leaning heavily on his partner. 

"Nothing."

"Nothing my ass..." Reno giggled, rubbing his cheek over the sleeve of Rude's purple shirt. "We've been fucking every other day, you could've just asked instead of drugging me..."

"I didn't drug you" Rude grumbled, running his fingers through his partner's red tufts. "That's just the broth working. Feeling better now?"

"Mhm..."

"Then bedtime."

Reno obediently moved away, letting him go. Rude took the bowls to the kitchen, placed them in the dishwasher, then put the remaining soup away to cool down. He felt the effects of the broth as well, feeling way too hot and way too sleepy. Leaving showering for the next morning, he turned off everything and head straight to the bedroom. 

Reno beat him to it, already buried under the covers. Rude changed swiftly, put his gloves and shades on the build-in shelf over the bedframe, and layed on the pleasantly cool sheets with a sigh of relief. Next to him Reno was emanating heat like a furnace. He wasn't asleep yet, opening his eyes as soon as he felt weight, dipping the matress. 

"You good?" Rude asked quietly, feeling his partner's intense gaze. Reno smiled lazily, clearly on the verge of sleep.

"Thanks" he whispered. "For the soup thing. When did that happen?"

"It's just something I learned." Rude didn't talk about his past the same way Reno didn't. "Tomorrow you'll be good as new."

Reno made a confirming sound, reaching out to play with the collar of Rude's shirt. He looked up into his partner's eyes, a certain, familiar gleam matching his pouting lips in its message.

Giving in, Rude leaned over and kissed him, tasting mostly spices and garlic. Reno used that moment to move closer and splay out on Rude's chest like an electric blanket, arms crushing his waist with a deadly grip. 

His body was all hot and sweaty, hair reaching up Rude's nose, but he seemed content and not as dead as before. Rude did his best to smooth the tickling red strands down, before closing his eyes, one arm thrown losely over his partner. 

Hopefully the broth was able to spare him from getting sick as well.


	9. Fear

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Even the Turks are afraid sometimes.

They were partners.

Partners at work, friends after hours. Just casual nights out, drinking their pain away, crashing at each other's places to sober up for another day. 

It took few years for Reno to come to terms with his feelings towards his partner. And to hide them as best as he could. It wasn't worth it - losing what he had, just to admit he wanted more. More than just sideway glances and rare smiles, exchanged above whisky shots.

He wasn't stupid - wouldn't try anything, wouldn't push his luck, until he got a clear sign. 

What better sign than Rude, grabbing him by the collar and throwing him against a wall, while a series of explosions filled the air around them with flames.

"You..." he rasped. Reno didn't dare even blink, heart racing so fast it nearly hurt.

Did he slip somehow? Made a mistake? Uncovered, what should've stayed hidden?

"Yeah..."

They stared at each other, dazed by the heavy clouds of smoke and something else, something they couldn't name. Reno searched his partner's eyes for answers, but all he got was an intense, warm stare, and a tug on his sleeve, leading him out of the alley and back to the company's car. 

They drove in silence, got inside Rude's building in silence, opened the door to his place in silence. Reno walked first into the cozy darkness, trying to come up with something to say, to save himself from what comes next. He turned around and bumped straight into his partner, who didn't move from his spot. 

Reno opened his mouth, then closed it, looking away, trying to focus on anything that wasn't his current situation. Was he supposed to make his move now? Go for it?

He wouldn't dare. 

He was too afraid.

Rude could step away, both of them could, but they just stood there in a dark hallway, breathing, for what felt like eternity. Fear was swelling up inside Reno's throat, as a gloved hand of his partner rose up, closing to his face. 

That's where he noticed. 

Rude's hand was shaking. 

Fingers grazed his jaw, and Reno flinched involuntarily. He felt Rude's breath shudder against his eyelashes as the man moved, taking the hand away. In an instant Reno grabbed him by the wrist, putting the hand back, close to his face. He let Rude caress him, finally meeting his partner's eyes, instantly hypnotised by the sheer emotions emanating from behind the shades.

Then the gloved hand dropped to his chest, clasps of his jacket opening one by one with a metalic snap. Oh, so they're doing this. He stretched his lips in a coy smile, reaching for Rude's tie, like he had any control in this. To play it off as a prank, a mindless flirt, yet he was scared shitless, when his fingers tried to untangle the silky knot.

Tried was a good word. 

"What in the fuck-" he mumbled under his breath, brows creasing in desperate attemnpts to not rip that riddiculusly expensive piece of clothing off Rude's neck. "How the fuck do you remove this?"

Rude chuckled against his cheekbone, which made Reno finally burst into uncontrolable laughter. The spell of weird was broken - the normal returned.

"It's a tie" Rude answered after a moment, pulling him into a tight embrace. "You just untie it."

"Shut up, you absolute asshole" Reno giggled, pushing his face more into the lapels of Rude's suit, hands twisting into the fabric on his partner's back. He couldn't believe it.

Not even when Rude kissed all his fears away.


	10. One bed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reno and Rude go on a mission, and there's only one bed in their hideout. And it's cold.

It was bad enough they were scheduled out for this mission in the middle of nowhere. A quiet little town between mountains, coated in thick snow and freezing temperatures. 

The Turks surveiled this place for years, keeping an eye for any anti-Shinra movements and transport of stolen weaponry or materia. A week, spend on blending into the suspicious crowds, placing bugs everywhere possible, to then listen to the mostly boring chit-chats.

The place they had to stay in, wasn't impressive either.

"You've got to be kidding me" Reno groaned, swaying inside the scrawny apartment, with a duffle bag over his shoulder. "What is this bullshit?"

Rude walked in behind his partner and turned on the light switch. A single lightbulb swayed around, showing off the scratched bathroom door, an old desk with single mismatched chair, a small electric heater and one bed in the middle of the room - enough to fit one big person or two small ones.

Not a big AND small one. 

"How the fuck is there only one bed?!" Reno dropped his bag, taking out the radio equippment and placing it on the desk. 

"This town develops slowly." Rude answered after a moment, busy fiddling with cables from his own bag. "One person was enough till now."

Reno growled under his breath, jumping towards the heater. He was shaking even with his green parka on, complaining about the cold even before they got there. Such places were not his favorite.

Not that Rude loved below zero temperatures. 

"Come on, you stupid!-" 

A string of curses, followed by the thud of a well aimed kick made the heater gurgle and beep in defeat, spreading warmth way to slow for their liking. Still, was better than nothing.

They took turns showering (there was plenty of hot water, surprisingly), clearly avoiding the bed issue. Only when both sets of their working clothes were removed and placed on the side, they stand across the bed, arms folded over their chests.

"I'm not sleeping on the floor" Rude said immediately. Reno shrugged.

"Me neither. Too cold for that."

"Then we gotta share."

Reno shot him a disgusted look, then sighed. "Fine, whatever, I'm tired. Just...keep to your side of the bed."

Awkwardly, they slid under the covers. Unfortunately, the size of the bed wasn't generous enough for them - making them jump, when their backs touched. 

"Move it!" Reno barked over his shoulder. Rude grit his teeth.

"Can't. Not enough space."

"Fucking....Fine!" Reno dramatically slammed his head back down on the pillow. "No funny business, got it?"

"Obviously."

"Try anything and I'll break your neck!"

To which Rude didn't bother to respond.

The first night was alright - they got their energy back, nobody lost any limbs and they managed to properly start the mission. Reno bitched about the cold a bit less, since he took the first watch by the radio. Rude came back to the room hours later, to find his partner firmly plastered to the heater. 

The second night passed, and Rude woke up to the smell of a coconut shampoo. They both turned around at some point during the night, and were facing each other. Nose almost touching the red tufts, Rude took few deep inhales, then jumped out of bed to avoid any quarrels. 

Running to the bathroom, he didn't see his partner roll over onto his side of the bed with a satisfied sigh. 

The third night was problematic. Reno was out on the field that time, and when he came back, he wouldn't shut up about how miserable everything was. Hot shower and laying over the heater for an hour only helped so much, so when they finally stopped spitting venom at each other and went to bed, Rude really thought about pushing Reno off the matress. He didn't do that only because he fell asleep.

He woke up hours later, blinking away the drowsiness. The only small window they had was located in the tiny bathroom - daylight wouldn't reach the room for a while, leaving them in a comforting darkness. 

It was very warm and cozy under the covers. The idea of getting up to turn on the equippment seemed almost impossible to execute. Rude wanted to rub the sleep out of his eyes, but his right arm felt incredibly heavy, fingers closing around soft, silky strands of hair. 

Reno managed to pin his arm onto the sheets with the weight his body, snuggled close enough that Rude could feel his hot breath on his neck. So he layed there, frozen, trying to think the situation over.

The worst thing about it was that it felt...nice. Good. Right.

Reno was alive, his breathing and heartbeat steady and palpable. He looked way softer while asleep, more vulnerable, more...human. Rude slowly inched his arm away, and Reno hummed disapprovingly, moving right with it. Seemed like he had to do it quick. Like pulling out a tooth.

Rude slipped off the bed, swinging his arm away, almost sending his partner flying off the matress. He was expecting at least a fight, but Reno only grumbled, climbing back into the nest of pillows.

The next night was Rude's turn to bitch. It was getting colder, the mission bare no results so far, and Reno was useless, glued to the heater like a chewed gum to an underside of a table. They went to bed in a sad unison, not really caring whose limb was touching who.

The old heater suddently gulped loudly in the middle of the night, jerking Rude awake. He looked around, accessing his surroundings, only barely noticing Reno's spiky hair, blooming on the side of his chest. His partner felt heavy and warm to the touch. Why was Rude's arm around those thin shoulders, Rude didn't know, couldn't recall. But it was alright.

He must've stared, cause Reno's eyelids fluttered, lifted, and he looked up. They stared at each other in silence, choking of an ancient heater providing a lovely background sound, other than their breathing. 

No smartass words, no smirks, not even a raised eyebrow - after a moment, Reno closed his eyes again, sliding an arm up on Rude's chest, like he was stroking down a stubborn pillow. Rude decided to do the same - resting his cheek on the fluffy crimson hair, giving the smaller man a gentle reassuring squeeze.

The mission ended with nothing - no signs of illegal trafficking. Getting the green light to come back, with transport already on its way, they packed what little they brought with them and left, without looking back at that poor, single bed, no intentions of ever discusing those few nights.

Few years passed till they got assigned to the same mission again, in the same mountain town, in the same tiny apartment. 

"Would you look at that" Reno said, standing by the doorframe. "With all the money Shinra has, they cannot afford neither a better place, nor a second bed."

"It's a hideout" Rude gently placed the duffle bag on the dusty desk, and unzipped it to reach the radio. "Not a hotel."

"Fucking shame."

The matress squeaked as Reno threw himself at the bed with a sigh, arms crossed behind his head. Rude could feel his partner's gaze on his back and chuckled, turning away from the equippment.

"Guess we gotta share" Reno smirked at him.

"Yeah" Rude slowly crossed the room and kneeled over his partner, trapping him under his body. Reno laughed, pulling him closer by the lapels of his parka. 

"Only funny business, got it?" he pulled harder, bringing their foreheads together. 

"Obviously." Rude smiled, brushing red strands away from his partner's bright eyes. Reno hooked both arms around his neck, holding him close. 

"Try something" he whispered against Rude's lips. "Or I'll-"

He didn't get to finish that sentence.


	11. Hard day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rude has a hard day and Reno helps him through it.

There are days, when their work time doesn't align.

Like today, when Reno got to his partner's apartment much earlier, than they usually clock off. He changes his clothes - throws them around the flat as ususal, puts on his favorite oversized t-shirt (Rude's) - and proceeds to lounge on the living room couch, cold beer in hand, watching the next episode of Midgar's most popular comedy show. Rude claims to hate it, and calls it "atrocious", but his dry commentary makes it even funnier. 

He's missing out today. Reno mindlessly crunches on potato chips, not paying any attention to the crumbles, falling everywhere onto and between the cushions. 

The lock of the front door clicks few hours later, jingling of the keys turning Reno's attention away from the screen. 

"Finally!" he smiles at his partner's frame, looming in the short hallway. "You missed all of it, but I can cue you in."

Rude takes his sweet time, pulls off his shoes unusally slow, while Reno watches him fidget.

"Hard day?" Reno guesses. Rude doesn't respond.

So Reno waits. He waits, till his partner decides to come to him, he waits till he sits down at the far end of the couch, slowly sinking into the faux black leather. Rude is not okay. Reno takes the last swing of his beer, and takes his hand out of the bag of chips. 

"That bad, huh?"

Rude nodes slowly, silently, eyes afixiated on the glass coffee table before him. He swallows few times, like he wants to speak, but nothing comes out. Reno doesn't ask what happened, doesn't really want to know the details. 

After a moment of tensity, Rude shifts, attempting to remove his gloves. His hands are trembling, fingers struggle to hold on to the fabric. Gloves come off, and Reno has enough.

"Hey" he says, instinctively putting his palm over Rude's to hold them still. They're cold. "Stop it."

Rude takes a long, shuddering breath and grasps Reno's hand, squeezing it tight, sapping all the warmth he can get. He bends his head low, forehead touching his partner's pale knuckles. He looks like he's praying. 

"Rude" Reno starts, but his train of thought gets cut off. He sees tiny spots on the dark skin behind the pierced ear, as well as on the collar of his purple shirt. Red spots. It's not Rude's blood. 

Reno sighs and gets up, slipping his hand away. Rude lets him go, not moving from his place, even when Reno comes back, armed with a wet cloth.

"Hold on" he sits on his partner's lap, as he does a lot of the time, reaching to rub the cloth over Rude's scalp. From this angle, he can peek behind the expensive shades, and what he sees tells him everything. 

Violence. Civilians involved. Disposing of bodies. Propably just a mess in general.

Reno cleans what he can see, not touching the shirt.

"Gotta soak that" he speaks out, tugging at the suit. "Ya gonna be pissed tomorrow if ya don't."

Rude looks up at him, deflated, defeated, absolutely not giving a fuck about his wardrobe at the moment. He's still quiet, when he's trying to hide his face in Reno's chest. Reno hisses.

"Those are hard, man, come on" he jokes, taking off Rude's glasses and putting them aside. 

They sit like that for a moment, a tangle of limbs, the sound of commercials cackling at them from the tv. Reno rests his chin on his partner's head, loops his arms around his neck, feeling Rude doing the same around his waist.

He waits for this man - his man, to come back, compose himself, get it together. He's strong, he can do it, he always does. 

Rude's hands move down his back, fold up his t-shirt to get to the skin. Reno smirks, then hums, when warmed up palms caress his spine in a promising way. 

They land in the bedroom, where Reno fucks his partner into a moaning submission, fast and hard. All stiffness leaves Rude's body as he comes, one hand fisted in Reno's hair, the other tightly gripping the sheets. Reno guides him down from the high, grounds him with praises and soft kisses all over his broad chest. 

And when Rude opens his eyes to look at him, Reno knows it's all better now. 

Not good yet, but better. 

And that has to do for now.


	12. Hook up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The morning after their first night together. Goes exactly as one would think.

Surprisingly Reno woke up first.

Daylight was already peeking through the heavy window curtains, when he lifted his head from the pillows, yawning. Rude layed next to him, his broad back moving slightly with the time of his calm breathing. Reno supressed the urge to touch him. Instead he got up, grabbing his boxers on the way. 

He washed his face in the bathroom, considering. He wasn't sore, not one bit - even under influence Rude stayed a true gentleman. He stretched him out real good. Made him wonder if his partner had more secrets than he knew about.

Reno wandered back into the kitchen space and decided to make some coffee. Rude emerged from the bedroom just in time to witness his partner struggling with a fancy looking black coffee maker, displayed on the counter top. Reno payed no attention to the heavy footsteps, walking away to disappear with a click of the bathroom door, busy with measuring the coffee powder. The machine he owned wasn't half as complicated to use as this one.

"Fucking stupid..." he muttered to himself, giving the machine a hard slap to the side. It usually worked on most of the junk he had in his flat. 

"Easy" Rude's voice grumbled behind him, as he walked closer, waves of heat coming off of his shirtless chest. "That thing was expensive."

"What is with you and owning super complicated and expensive shit?" Reno said out loud, still not turning around. The warmth behind him closed in, hot skin pressed to his back, and he stilled the sigh of pleasure, hanging on his lips. 

"Because I like quality" Rude's murmured over his ear, reaching around to press a few buttons. Reno pushed back at the wall of muscles teasingly, letting his ear brush over plush lips of his partner.

"Show-off..."

The coffee maker whirrled obediently, spreading the smell of freshly made brew around the apartment. Reno closed his eyes, waiting for his partner's next move. It was their first morning together, and yet it wasn't awkward in the slightest. It felt pretty natural. Just as natural as Rude, kissing the tip of his ear, before moving away to get some cups from the cupboard.

Reno turned around, half laying on the counter. Rude also decided to wear something on his ass - loose grey slacks, tied around the waist. Reno's eyes came back up to his partner's face, when the man came back to him, placing two heavy-looking black mugs on the counter on each side of him, cutting off all the escape routs.

Thankfully, Reno wasn't the one to run away. Not from this.

Rude smirked, leaning down to his lips. He stopped halfway though, searching his face for something. Permission? Stupid. They already fucked, why would they stop now?

So Reno leaned up, closing the remaining distance, slightly touching his mouth in a quick, chaste peck. Smiling peck full of teeth.

"Bastard" Rude growled, nipping his lips open, before going full in for a battle of tongues. Reno hummed, throwing his arms around the muscular neck. Rude pinned him to the counter, getting lost in the kiss, gliding his hands over his sides, making him shiver with anticipation. He tasted of yesterday's whiskey and something slightly tangy. Delicious. 

"Wanna go again?" Reno gasped, when they broke for air, faces still close. He fluttered his eyelashes, hooking one leg over his partner's hip. "I should improve my blowjob technique."

"You did pretty damn good" Rude whispered into the hollow of his cheek. 

"Ya should see me sober. I'm fucking amazing."

"I believe you."

They looked at each other, noses almost touching, smiling in the most seducing, alluring way they could. Arms around each other's bodies, hands rubbing over skin tentatively, they inhaled their scents - mixture of sweat and sex, and alcohol, with a wash of cologne.

And then the coffee maker made a high pitched sound, and Reno jumped in alarm. 

"Fuck!" he fell onto Rude, almost throwing him off balance. "What the fuck, man!"

And Rude just laughed - loudly, like Reno never heard him laugh before. So he laughed too, because that destroyed the whole sexy mood they worked on. The coffee program ended and they kept on giggling into each other's necks like idiots. 

And honestly, Reno could get used to mornings like this.


	13. Suffering

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning for blood, injuries, violence.  
> Reno gets captured, but not for long. He's a professional after all.

Reno watched his captors, barely hiding his annoyance with a cheeky smirk. Not at himself - he couldn't predict there be more of them AND that they'll be loaded with stolen materia. Once they got him cornered in the alley, he could tell it's over. Even while fighting like a feral, there were too many hands to grab him, hold him still, knock him the hell out.

Annoyance came later, when he woke up, trying to open his eyes, lashes glued together with dried blood. He spit out some, trying to catch a breath, which granted him a hard kick in the jaw. Not hard enough to break bones, but enough to shake him back to conciousness. 

Two large men with even larger guns stand above him, sadistic grins splitting their faces. Reno's weak gaze slid off their faces to slowly scan the place he was kept in. One large barricaded door. One square window, way up high by the ceiling. Pipe system, that he was tied up to by the arms, wrists bend over in weird angles. Legs still free, but weak, and heavy, and numb from supporting his body weight for who knows how long. 

He got another kick, in the stomach this time, and they started shouting, spitting vile, blaming him and the company for every misery in the world. Not that they're wrong. They demanded answers, access codes, traffic routes numbers. Reno raised his head to answer them with his usual sharp witt, which granted him a cascade of punches. 

They're amateurs, clearly. Driven by emotions, not reason, they didn't know how to hurt. They hit hard, blow after blow, happy with the sound of cracking ribs and squelching flesh. Reno would love to show them how it's really done.

"No one can save you now!" yelled one of them, straight in his face, and Reno almost wanted to laugh. Well, duh, genius, of course not. There's no place for hope in a situation like this, all he had was his own survival skills. 

So he forced his body to go limp, surpressed all the pain he could, so the punches were no longer met with hard walls of muscles. He went still, trashed around with few more blows, till he got what he wanted.

"Stop!" he heard a muffled shout. "We need him alive!"

The punching stopped, of course. More talking, background noise, all muffled - they propably ruptured his eardrum - and he's left alone, at least for now. The door creaked loud enough for him to note it. One man left, one stayed behind, propably to watch him. They couldn't make it easier for him.

So after waiting a little bit, Reno moved, slowly, letting pain wash over him, making his act even better. He whimpered and sobbed, begged for his life to be spared, promised to tell everything. He clenched and unclenched his fingers, pumping blood into his wrists, feeling the blade still hidden under his left glove. 

It could have two effects. Either the thug watching him would feel sorry for him and try to ease his suffering - which would warrant him a quick mercy kill - or he would come over to either gloat or threat him more - which would end up with a knockout, and some torture porn later. 

The captor showed up in his face, snarling at him, satisfaction glimmering in his beady eyes, too busy to notice Reno's fingers working around the binding rope. Unfortunately, Reno wasn't in the mood for games anymore - watching the glimmer disappear, as he shoved a shiv through the thug's other eye, brought only a little bit of happiness to him. 

On a verge of passing out, feeling extremely heavy, he rolled the man over, looking for a potion or a cure, cursing, when he found nothing. Throwing the rifle away for the sake of a smaller handgun, he started crawling to the door, trying to push himself forward with his legs, not his arms. Gritting his teeth, blinking away the tears from already swelling eyes, he moved excruciatingly slow, putting everything he got into every crawl.

He reached the door, mustered the strenght to lift himself to the lock, when the door opened in one swift motion, quick heavy steps stopping right in front of him. Reno threw his arm to shoot, but hesitated, seeing a figure all in black, closing down on him. He saw corridor lights reflecting in the dark shades, and a bald head - and he felt justified to pass out right now. So he did.

Reno woke up in the hospital bed, to the familiar sounds of beeping monitors. His ears were working fine, his eyes, though one was covered by a thick layer of bandaid, worked properly too. He tried to move his arms, but they felt heavy, in a good way this time. Meant that painkillers circulated within his body, letting him actually rest. Man, did he feel tired. 

"You're awake." Rude's voice came from the other end of the room he layed in. Reno squinted to notice him there, hidden in a shadow, always guarding him, always there. He wished he sit closer, held his hand. But he also knew he couldn't.

"Hey" he croaked happily, rising one thumb from the bedsheets. "What I missed?"

"Not a lot." Rude put away his phone, getting up from the plastic waiting chair, smoothing down his suit. Reno watched him attentively, looking for any signs of trauma. But no, Rude looked his usual self, like a milion gil. That's good.

"Any luck with the stock?" They couldn't openly talk about the case, not even on the Shinra grounds. Rude slowly turned away.

"All taken care of." A little pause. "I should go. You need to rest."

"Working on that already, partner" Reno tried to smile, but his face wouldn't listen. He wanted Rude to come over to him and touch him, kiss his forehead, tell him it's gonna be okay. His eyes stinged a little. He could see Rude's hands closing tight into fists, to stop them from trembling. 

"You're okay?" Reno asked, the only way he could show concern over his partner without any implications. Rude nodded, before reaching up to remove his glasses.

"Yeah" he said, looking straight at him, trying to explain everything in one short eye contact. The fear and anger, resignation and sadness, warmth and overwhelming want to get close to him. Reno understood, grabbing on the sheets in a silent agreement. 

Rude put his shades back on and left the hospital room, silently closing the door behind him. That was Reno's cue to go back to sleep, to regain his strenght as fast as possible. So he closed his eyes, cutting off all the distracting signals, focusing only on his partner and his sad expression. It hurt more than all the wounds and bruises he recieved. 

So after few days spend on dying internally in the hospital, when Reno finally got to his partner's place, Rude opened the front door immediately, practically flung him inside by his shirt and crushed him in a powerfull hold, all without a word.

Reno let out a broken chuckle. "Hey partner, I'm back" he said, his voice choking at that last bit. Rude's hand came up to grip the nape of his neck, as he buried his nose behind his ear.

"Welcome back" he whispered into his hair, equally affected. They stand by the front door, locked in a tight grip, chests moving in forced unison. Reno felt his defences drop one by one, as he sank deeper into the embrace, letting himself loose in front of the only person who ever witnessed him falling apart. And the only one who could and would put him back together.

Reno knew he will stop crying at some point, and they will share a nice happy evening together, but for now he hid in his partner's arms, all the build-up stress and nerves disappearing slowly thanks to a soothing baritone of Rude's voice and his solid, calming presence.


	14. Dreams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rude has an unpleasant dream, and he doesn't want to talk about it.

Rude woke up with a start, actually jumping up to a sitting position. He was heaving, heart beating in his chest so fast, it made his blood thud loudly in his ears, muffling all the other sparse sounds. 

He sat there, motionless, focused on breathing, trying his best to calm down. It was just a dream, illogical hiccup of the brain, caused by either too much liqour or too little food. Nothing to it.

Next to him, at arm's length, Reno was still sound asleep, laying on the side, facing the large, covered windows of the bedroom. So he didn't startle him - good. His partner could be very understanding sometimes, but waking him up in the middle of the night would propably grant him few furious punches and kicks. Rude rubbed his forehead, and feeling cold sweat under his fingers, decided to reach the nearest sink and get his shit together.

He turned on the bathroom light, and washed his face few times, before sucking up and looking at himself in the mirror. It was just a dream, he told himself in a stern voice. Just his dumb imagination running wild and creating unneccessary anxieties. Anxieties, closed in a large penthouse by the sea...

Rude put his back against cold wall, staring at the floor tiles. He never had problems with sleeping, barely ever dreaming about anything. Despite horrible things happening to them almost all the time, the sheer adrenaline of the moment would be enough for him to process the situation and push it back into his subconscious. Reno was the one to think about stuff for way too long, and have crazy wild dreams afterwards - curtesy of his atrocious diet, consisting of everything dipped in grease and sugar. 

It scared him how well he remembered that dream. Waking up in a gigantic bed, in a large bedroom, enormous wall-size windows showing the sea waves, crashing over the tiny strap of sand, the only thing between the house and the mass of water. He was alone, and yet he knew Reno should be around. So he got up, looked around the other large rooms with glass walls. He remembered doing stuff there, in this gray interior with way too much space, waiting for Reno to return, and wondering where he went.

And then he caught himself standing in the middle of the room, staring at the steel waves outside, fear swelling up his throat like a cold, heavy stone. He was yelling, screaming his partner's name in absolute terror, and at the moment he lunged towards the glass door, he woke himself up, drenched.

Rude grabbed the hem of his t-shirt and pulled it off, throwing it in the laundry basket. The fabric clinged to his back in an unpleasant way, he didn't realise he sweat so much. Hopefully it didn't stain the pillows.

He came back to the bedroom, still lost in thoughts.

"The fuck you're doing..." came a sleepy voice from the other end of the bed, as he sat down. Behind him Reno groaned and rolled in the sheets, hot palm slapping Rude's loins. 

"Why are you wet...?"

"It's nothing." Rude layed on his back, pulling the covers over his chest. He could feel his partner's gaze on him, like blue lasers, piercing his skull. He closed his eyes, doing his best to ignore that.

He heard rustling, then sighing, telling him that Reno was moving closer, propably to pester him more. And sure enough, he felt a boney foot landing hard on his shin. 

"Tell me." Reno said straight to his ear. Rude winced, jerking his head away.

"Go back to sleep."

"You had a bad dream" Reno kicked him again. "You never have dreams. You oughtta tell me."

"It was nothing." Rude repeated, shame washing over him suddenly. It wasn't even that dramatic, it was all on him. There was nothing to discuss. Reno's hand sneaked up his chest to poke his nose.

"Did you die?"

No. That wouldn't scare him. Rude scrunched his nose but didn't move.

"Did i die?..." 

Rude pressed his lips into a tight line. Reno took that as confirmation, and quit hovering above him, plopping back on his side of the matress. Rude hoped that's the end of this one-sided conversation.

Conversation - yes, but Reno wasn't done, although he wasn't going to talk. He simply grabbed Rude's hand and placed it on his chest. Rude felt the warmth of his partner's body, emanating through the thick layer of his cotton shirt, the slow, subtle beating of his heart against Rude's knuckles. 

They layed like that for a while, till Reno's fingers loosened around his wrist, indicating he fell back asleep. Rude took his hand away, and put his head in its place, ear close to Reno's sternum. He could hear it better that way, the calm, rhytmical thumping slowly easing his nerves, making him forget. 

He hoped for no more dreams., as he scooped his partner into his arms, pressing flush to his back, hiding his face in those crimson red hair. Reno's hands curled around his own in a silent reassurance, that he wasn't going anywhere.


	15. Sight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reno loses one of his senses, but that's not something to stop him from being a professional - first thing's first.

The last thing Reno remembered was a big explosion.

They were chasing suspects down an alley, through the garbage dump of sector 5. Reno, the fastest of the Turks, almost caught up to them, when a cotter pin hit him in the face. He screamed to his partner, halting in his tracks and the world turned white.

First thing he felt and recognized was ash and blood on his tongue. Breathing was possible, but deeper breaths hurt - might've broken a rib or two. Managable. He slowly moved his arms, shoulders, hands, curled his fingers around rocks and dirt. Moved his left foot, then the right one, slowly bended both knees. Limbs seemed okay.

Reno opened his eyes and closed them again immediately - they burned, probably from the dust. He blinked few times forcing his tear canals to work. 

Rude. Where is Rude.

It was so dark around him, dark and silent, aside from low ringing in his ears. The bomb must've broken the surface, drop them down some sort of sewer or cave. Hopefully his spine was still intact - would be problematic, if not. Reno opened his mouth to yell out, but his voice came out hushed, hollow and raspy. Screaming had to wait. 

After few tries, Reno managed to lift his upper body, and roll over onto his stomach. With one of his senses compromised, he had to redirect his attention to the other ones. He started moving slowly, feeling his way around, gently palming over debris, pipes and construction pieces.

He stumbled upon fabric, a pained sigh broke through the ringing and Reno's heart skipped a beat. Rude? Did he got caught in the explosion too? He hanged further back, at least that's what Reno remembered. Trembling fingers moved up, looking for a wide belt, a silky tie, or gloved hands. Instead they slid across roughed up jeans, and cheap, cracked armor. One of those stupid assholes. 

Reno pushed himself forward, feeling for the man's neck. The pulse was weak, but present. Not for long. Fuck you guys, he thought, moving further, checking his surroundings carefully. There was a weak groan to his left, sounded familiar enough for Reno to rushed over there, breath caught in his throat. 

And there it was, a rich, velvety material of the suit, covered in large debris, that he swiftly removed. The well known scent, breaking through the smoke filled him with relief, and then promptly with worry.

"Come on, come on..." he whispered to himself, sliding both hands up the ragged, expensive shirt. He felt for wounds, open gashes, slickness of blood, but there was none, just dust and pieces of metal. His palm brushed off the sunglasses, pads of his fingers gently stroked the perfectly trimmed beard. Hot breath hit his wrist. 

"Rude? Rude?!..."

"Yeah..." The voice definitely belonged to his partner. Weak and strained, but there. Reno couldn't see him, no matter how much he goggled his eyes out. Goddamn caves. 

"You're good...? Anything broken?"

"A rib or two, maybe." Rude said and coughed. Reno chuckled, stroking his cheek almost affectionately.

"Then we have a thing in common...Aside from that?"

"All good." Reno felt his partner's lips touch the inside of his palm. 

"Alright. We gotta get outta here. Is your phone workin? I think mine is cracked."

He moved his hands down, checking through Rude's pockets. "I can't see shit in this kazam...Hold on."

"Reno..."

"Ugh, fuck, i think yours is broken too." Strange, he couldn't sense any cracks on the glass surface. Warm hands slid over his own.

"Let me do it."

"You put a blockade on me? Asshole." Reno muttered, hearing the phone come to life. "Must be damaged, there's no light at all."

Rude didn't answer, busy making a call. His voice was still coarse, they were not out of the woods yet. Reno held onto his sleeve, fatigue finally catching up to him. Rude's presence was enough to calm him down, and before he knew it, he fell unconcious.

He woke up to the beeping sounds of the hospital equippment. Still in absolute darkness. He reached up slowly, feeling the skin pulling around the PVC. His eyes were covered by bandages, cutting out everything. Great. So they're more fucked up than he originally thought. 

A door creaked open, someone entered the room. Smell of coffee and exhaustion hit Reno's nose. He smirked.

"Sup, chief? Dare to clue me in?"

Tseng sighed. 

"You lost your sight."

"For good?"

"Temporarily. Need to spend some time here."

Reno groaned. He hated hospitals.

"We got the fugitives. One of them, at least." Tseng sounded annoyed, his suit rustled. Reno imagined his boss crossing his arms with disappointment.

"Well, one is enough." He thought of something. "Is Rude okay?"

"He's fine." That's all he needed to hear. Tseng hang for few more minutes, threw some more informations. Turned out the explosion wasn't strong enough to rupture the street's surface - it just scattered them around the garbage place. After a while, Tseng excused himself and left. Someone else stepped into the room, and Reno automatically relaxed. The whiff of deep, rich cologne made its way to Reno's nostrils, and he smiled.

"Hey, man. I'm blind this time."

"You got to stop filling the list of new possible injuries, that would land your ass here." Rude said quietly, close to his bed. Curse this bastard to move so silently. 

"You're here too, ain't ya? I ain't the only one who's reckless." Reno tsked, lifting his arm searchingly. Rude grabbed his hand, placing it back down with a short squeeze. 

"Let's go drinkin'." Reno broke the silence, playing with the buttons alongside Rude's cuffs. "When I get outta here."

Their code phrase for: burst the drinks at home, with extra cuddling.

"What's on your mind?" He could pick up the thin layer of amusement in his partner's voice. 

"Whiskey." Which meant: cook for me, u asshole. 

"On me, huh?"

"You know it." Rude had the cooking skills he could only dream about. "Come on, I deserve it."

He felt the warm leather grazing his temple, moving away the bangs. 

"You do."


	16. Hair

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reno's hair is his sword and shield. Rude wants to touch it.

The first time Rude touches his partner's hair, he feels nothing. 

Recklessness during a mission, blood spilling from the deep cuts, and Rude pressing gloved palms flat against Reno's back to stop it from flowing, long red strands dipping into the scarlet, twirling around Rude's fingers like a spider's web. Distracting.

Keeping his partner alive was more important back then.

The next time Rude touches his partner's hair, he's tired and overwhelmed. 

The explosion is still raging around them, scraps of metal flying past them, miraculously missing most of the time. Rescue is right around the corner, has to be, and Reno rests his head on Rude's chest, laughing to himself. His red hair obscures Rude's view, dances in the hellish air like the flames themselves. It's soft against Rude's chin, that's all he can think about.

Reno's hair is his mane, his peacock' feathers, and Rude follows the swinging ponytail wherever they go. There's a reason Reno always barges in first, throwing out witty curses. He moves in front of everyone, wants the attention. Rude smells cinnamon and something else whenever Reno passes him - it's spicy, and manly, and fits him so well. Rude wants to touch it. 

He gets to much later, when they get comfortable with sharing space. Empty shot glasses on the coffee table, tv playing some ridiculus nonsense. Reno spits out joke after joke, everything is funny. Rude's hand falls from the ridge of the couch on his partner's head, by very well aimed accident. Reno laughs again, focused on what's on screen, as Rude's fingers comb through the red mess. It's velvety and smooth, and the harder he digs, the louder Reno's breathing gets. By the time the movie ends, Reno is too comfortable to move from the couch.

It happens again and again. Reno touches him more, allows for more. Rude toys with his hair each time they're alone. Works his fingers through the red wave, over his partner's scalp, enjoying the feeling of cold silken strings against his skin. Reno makes noises, from pleased humms to shuddering moans, but he never jerks away. It's never too much. For Rude it's not enough.

The next time - it's raining, Reno's hair's wet and shiny - Rude can't control himself. They're in some random alley, Reno's eyes are brighter than lightning, splitting the sky above them. Rude presses his lips against his partner's, tasting the desire that kept building up for years. Red hair plastered over pale face, Rude can't bother with brushing them away - he keeps kissing, and Reno is kissing back equally relentless, and wanting and desperate. 

Rude pushes the hair aside much later - they're still wet, but not from the rain, not anymore. Reno shivers under him, his moans fill the bedroom, echoing against tightly closed blinds. Rude doesn't want to make him wait any longer, he doesn't want to wait. Gathering the red mane in one hand, the other grips his partner's hip. Reno keens, and Rude sighs, falling face first into the nape of Reno's neck. 

He's woken up by a kiss and a face above his, stripes of red bangs closing around him like a courtain. Rude is relaxed, happiness and relief forcing its way up from inside his chest. Reno looks at him with a smile, closes his eyes, when Rude strokes his cheek, up to his temple. Their foreheads touch and everything seems right with the world for once.

Every day Rude wakes up to a sight of red messy head next to his. Every day he can touch the bright reds before Reno gets to style it. Every day Reno turns around with a groan and hides his face in Rude's neck, his pale fingers tracing the shape of Rude's beard, toying with the sharp stuble around the lines. They're both fascinated with hair and it makes Rude laugh.

Red threads cover his apartment, their apartment - laying on the pillows, curling around the carpet' edges, clogging the drains in the bathroom. It's not important. Rude would wake up with mouth full of hair and Reno would mercilessly tease him about it, threatening to sleep on the opposite side of the bed, if Rude continues to chew on his bangs. Few hard kisses later Reno forgets his warnings and melts into his partner's embrace.

Rude is a killer. A trained professional. He follows his partner like a ghost, promising silence and pain. Reno is worse. The noise of swears, the loud and obnoxious - he doesn't promise, he delivers, with strike after strike. The swirl of electric and blood. 

But then the day ends, they go back to the apartment, and as the door shuts, Reno steps in close, puts his arms around Rude's neck, pulls him down. Rude shifts, sinks his face into the vivid crimson of his partner's hair, takes a deep breath. Cinnamon and spices fill his nostrils, and it doesn't matter where they're standing. Reno chuckles, stroking his jaw, because he knows it too.

They're home.


	17. Slow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They needed to slow down sometimes.

The front door squeaked and opened quite slowly. Rude lifted his gaze from the crime drama he was watching, to check the digital clock, placed on the shelf near the music adapter. Almost 11 pm.

Reno shuffled wordlessly to the couch and sat down with a grunt of a hundred year old man. 

"Long day." Rude wasn't one to start the conversation, but after few minutes of prolonged silence, he started to grow anxious. Reno sighed.

"Yep." Rang the shortest answer ever. Rude raised an eyebrow, taking a sip of whiskey from his large expensive glass.

"Casualties?"

"Tons of." Reno groaned, reaching up to his forehead. His goggles bounced off the couch's foam and landed on the carpet. Its owner kicked it under the coffee table. "And you know what's funny? One body" - he made a dramatic pause, clearly waiting for a reaction. Rude turned to face his partner, noticing the dark circles under his eyes, and wrinkled shirt - more wrinkled than usual - crumpled under the jacket he still didn't take off.

"One body - means plus 10 additional papers in a report. Can you believe that?" Reno laughed, falling back on the cushions, arms folding over his face. "Since fucking when..."

The drama ended, and a series of bright, flashy commercials exploded in the living room, before Rude could reply in any way. Basked in their intensity, Reno's features seemed even sharper, like outlined with a white ballpen. But with no sign of his usual witts. He looked so tired.

Rude got up and grabbed the remote. The tv blinked and turned black, with Reno's whine of disapproval. 

"I was watching that...!"

Rude ignored him, turning off the main lights too. It was so quiet now, they could hear the muffled traffic noises from the outside. Reno didn't move from the couch, arms still flung across his eyes. He didn't even comment, when a soft saxophone music started playing in the background.

Rude stood in front of his partner, looming over his smaller form. Reno's eye flashed briefly from behind the sleeves of his jacket.

"What?..."

"Come on." Rude reached out, fingers wagging invitingly. Reno snorted. 

"Look, big guy, I appreciate the mood and all, but I am useless today. I can barely stand up, not to mention any kind of performance..."

"Then stand up." Rude said, his voice low. "I'll do the rest."

Reno sighed loudly, making a show of rolling his eyes and removing himself off the couch in the slowest way possible. Slouched and disinterested, he looked up at Rude, shrugging, his entire posture asking "now what?" without using words.

Rude took both of his partner's hands and placed them on his shoulders. Reno's laugh was weak, but loud enough to break through the jazzy tunes. 

"Are you fucking kiddin' me?"

Rude grabbed Reno's hips and pulled him closer, making the man gasp, and surely, shut up. Finally all set, he started moving them both, one leg at a time. Side to side, swaying a bit, pacing around in small circles to the slow beat of the song.

Gradually, minute by minute, Reno relaxed, turning into a mush in Rude's embrace, barely staying awake. He put his head down heavily on Rude's shoulder, gloved palms slid down the casual cotton shirt and fell to the sides, dangling lifelessly. Rude simply held his partner close, his mouth smoothing down the spiky tufts of the signature red hair.

He kissed him few times, around his forehead, then getting lower, to the temple and the ear, and with each kiss Reno made a pleased hum in the back of his throat. One song ended, another one, equally slow started, and Rude just kept them going, dancing in a dimly lit room, kissing whatever fragment of the skin he could reach.

The vinyl's side ended and the music came to a barely noticeable halt. Rude glanced at the clock, and eased their movements as well. He thought Reno fell asleep, since for a while now all he heard from him was breathing. But sure enough, as soon as he loosened his grip around Reno's waist, he felt a pair of arms coming up his sides, and tugging at his shirt. 

"It's late." Rude said quietly, lips still pressed to his partner's earlobe. Reno shook his head in a silent disagreement, glued to the warmth of his chest, like a cat to a sun spot. Rude kissed the red tattoo on his cheekbone, mouth moving slowly across its shape, and smiled, when Reno actually purred into his neck.

"It's late." He repeated, whispering this time, as Reno lifted his head to meet his gaze, blue eyes full of affectionate solemnity. To Rude's unasked question, he blinked slowly, reassuringly.

They lived fast, on the verge of dying basically every hour they spend outside the office. They drove swift vehicles, they slid under the strings of bullets, delivering pain and suffering to those who dared to shoot them. Their thoughts ran fast, and their actions followed accordingly. 

They needed to slow down sometimes.

To stand still, look around and evaluate, before going back to this ridiculus pace they created for themselves. 

Rude cherished those moments. And he was sure Reno did too. 

Rare as they were.


	18. Future

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reno and Rude share a conversation on a particular rooftop.

A sharp gust of wind pulled on Reno's ponytail, making him squint, as he looked around the crime scene.

They managed to chase the suspect up to the rooftop, but nobody expected the dumbass to keep a grenade on himself. Thankfully the distance between them was big enough to avoid getting blown up. 

Getting covered with guts however was apparently on today's menu.

They knew to close their eyes and mouths, and yet Elena squeaked, when a part of an intestine landed on her shoe, sending her tumbling back against a stone wall. Rude got slapped on the face with an undentified meat piece, but he didn't even blink, simply putting his glasses back into place. 

"What a mess." Reno said, voicing everybody's thoughts. Who knew one body could contain so much fluid. All of their suits were ruined - hopefully Shinra would pay their cleaning bills.

Elena volunteered to call for the cleaning team, and Reno was merciful enough to not tease her directly about it. She ran down the stairs, leaving them to guard the blood splattered concrete.

Reno didn't bother with checking the remains of the suspect - he crossed his arms over the rooftop railing, looking over the city view. He knew Rude was scavenging the viscera anyway, for any signs of what they were looking for in the first place - pointless from Reno's perspective, but Rude was a working man, ready to finish his objective to the T.

Days like this really made him think about it all.

"Poor Laney." He said, not even sure if his partner's listening. "Ya know, if I was to pick someone to quit the fastest, it would be her."

"Elena is a part of the team." Rude responded in a steady voice, but Reno could hear a hint of reproach in his words.

"Relax, I'm not saying she would do that!" Reno laughed, waving his hand dismissively. "I'm just sayin' she'd still have a future. She could, like, get a hubby and make like, a pack of kiddos...Like seriously, who would you say be the one of us with the most propable future? Outside of....this?"

Rude walked up to him, facing the rooftop door, just in case. Always prepared.

"Elena." 

Reno nodded with a smile, that grew from playful to painful, when he realised something.

"And then you."

The fabric of Rude's suit creaked softly, as the man shifted in place.

"Me?"

"Yep." Reno tapped his foot against the railing pipes. "Such a knight in shining armor you are...Would be no problem for you to win over a girl and marry her. Move outside the city, to a nice little cottage, with a big garden, so you can plant a fuckin' tree, once you knock yer lady up. Then you can enjoy living a simple life, with a bunch of bald kids running around, and a slice of pie baked by your wifey, served to you on a silver plate. Well...maybe white one."

He wouldn't look at his partner, but the whole story kept surfing around his head for a while. They had it so good. Rude's been there for him this entire time, providing warmth, providing comfort, making it easy to live another day.

He deserved better.

Rude deserved better, than one messed up hot-headed idiot, holding him back from having a life.

"Why would the kids be bald?" Rude asked, words shaking with audible amusement.

"Dunno. To keep your legacy on brand?"

"I see." Rude turned his way. "Would you come visit?"

"No." Reno bit his lower lip. "I mean, maybe. Wouldn't feel comfortable bout it." He curled up into himself. Rude noticed.

"How do you see your future then?"

Reno laughed through strained throat. What future?

"Here, obviously. Surviving, I guess."

"No woman and kids for you, partner?"

Reno winced, a grimace forming on his face.

"Not exactly a family man." He spoke quietly, eyes darting to the side, to catch Rude's face still present in his peripheral vision. "And I hate kids."

"Oh, I know that."

Rude finally changed his position, mimicing Reno's with facing away from the carnage - the only difference being he kept his back straight.

"How about just the house?" Rude said out of the blue, full lips twitching into a smile. "No kids around?"

"Nope." Reno made a show of stretching his arms, just to hide his face in the wrinkles of his jacket's sleeve. "I'm a sewer rat with a Stockholm syndrome. I love the city, as much as I hate its guts."

"An apartment then." Rude was relentless. "Highest floor, with a nice view. Glass walls in the living room. General store at the bottom of the building."

Reno nodded wordlessly, not exactly sure where was it going. 

"Sounds like something I could get like, tomorrow." If he woke up alive, that is. 

"I can buy it after work." Rude continued, index finger tapping on his perfectly folded cuffs. "We can move in whenever."

Move in.

We.

Reno swallowed hard, struggling with a properly witty, dismissive comment. They were already living together - well, spending nights together, whatever places they ended up in. Why was this making his heart race?

"If you want to." Rude cleared his throat. 

Reno looked at his partner, eyes glinting with challenge. He was the only one who could fuck with people, not the other way around. 

"That still a vision for me?" He asked, smile turning sharp and dangerous. Rude didn't seem intimidated in the slightest.

"For you." He whispered. "And me."

"You'd settle for a flat, surrounded by blinding neons." 

You'd settle for a fucked up asshole, who doesn't appreciate you the way you deserve it.

Reno balled his fists over the railing. 

Rude didn't look away for a moment. 

"Yeah."

Reno didn't even realise how close they got throughout this convo. Rude always seemed to pull him in, like an unescapable magnet, and now they stood by the railing, bodies inches away from each other, quick breaths ghosting over slightly parted lips. 

Then the rooftop doors opened loudly and they moved instantly, passing each other like nothing happened. 

The cleaning troops scrubbed the poor fool's remains off the concrete, cleaned the blood, gathered the chunks, all while they stood on the opposite ends of the rooftop, trying to look as professional as possible. 

Simultaneously letting the team exit first, they walked side by side, through now clean, grey surface. Reno didn't want to leave - seemed like this moment was embedded into this damn rooftop of this random building, and once they leave, the subject will never surface again.

Rude reached for his wrist, giving it a warm squeeze. 

"You want to?" He spoke straight into his ear. Reno inhaled sharply, feeling Rude's hand sliding down, fingers curling around his own. 

If only for a second, Reno squeezed his hand borderline painfully.

"Hell yeah."


	19. Valentine's Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rude doesn't like Valentine's Day, but this year doesn't seem so bad.

Rude never payed attention to dates, the world around him was there to show that something grand was approaching. Months of cold and snow had a lot to offer in that department. Yule, with its cheerful decorations and lights, New Year with carnival glitter masks and fireworks. 

He knew what day it was today - every grocery shop in sight had gigantic cardboard hearts in their windows, with matching neons, screaming about chocolate sales and deals. He dreaded coming to work, and he was right about it.

Shinra Tower turned from a serious corporate office space to a courtship field. Every woman he passed threw him a flirtacious glance from under lashes, thick with mascara. Some of them held heart-shaped boxes behind their backs, blushing furiously - some stand around in small groups, whispering to each other, giggling uncontrollably whenever a man showed up in their line of sight. 

Rude entered the Turks' quateers and sighed with relief. Cool air, professional peace and quiet. Kind of. He stumbled upon Elena, trying to sneak a box of chocolates into Tseng's drawer and letting out a panicked squawk at the sound of the door closing.

He raised a hand to stop her from frantically explaining herself. There was no need.

Tseng came in shortly after and started the briefing, Reno tried to ninja his way inside without him noticing (he failed), and everything fell into place of a usual ordinary day. At least, till the end of the meeting.

"Get into it." Tseng finished issuing their assignments with his usual statement, already reaching into his pocket to pick up the phone. He left without checking his drawer, followed by Elena's sad, longing gaze.

Rude felt bad for her. Wanted to say something encouraging, but before he gathered his thoughts, she already trotted away, flipping through the pages of her errand.

"Oh, that's just shit..." Reno's muttering became audible in now silent office, as well as the frustrated crumpling of the paper in his hands. Tseng had to really get fed up with his second-in-command's insubordination.

"What did you get?" Reno hanged over his shoulder, reading from his files, then scoffed. "Seriously? I could do that one, instead of sittin' my ass in the Archives for the entire day! Switch with me, man?"

"Nope." 

"Come on partner, be a pal-"

"Stop being late, and you'll get a normal mission." Rude put his papers down on the desk and pushed his chair away to get up. 

"Hey Rude." 

He held back a sigh. Reno could be annoyingly persistent, if he wanted to be.

"Um, here." 

He felt a hard edge poking his shoulder and turned around to see a small, quite cheap looking box of chocolates pushed his way. Nothing like he saw on the shopwindows, with red metal tins and rich silky bows - that one was plastic and see-through. Seemed quite squished, too.

Rude looked up, eyebrow raised. If that was a joke, it was a pretty dumb one. 

"For you." Reno looked awfully serious for someone, who was joking. He kept leering nervously at the door. "Just take it."

"No, thanks." Rude's mood dropped, as he moved passed his partner.

"Aww, but it's Valentine's Day!" Reno whined behind him. "You know? You give shit to people who mean something to ya!"

"No, you give chocolates to girls and vice versa." Rude almost reached the door. "What, you lost a bet or something, partner?"

He felt a tug on his sleeve and stopped. 

"It's not a joke." Reno insisted. "Nor a prank. I wouldn't do that to ya."

"Then what?" 

Reno walked around him and shoved the box again into his chest (it hurt).

"A gift, okay?" He huffed in irritation, then bit his lip, staring at his shoes. "For being the only normal, reliable person in my stupid life."

That sounded oddly genuine. Rude felt the tips of his ears grow warm, as he finally took the deformed box into his hands.

"...Thank you." He said slowly. "But-"

"Oh no, don't worry bout givin' me anything." Reno waved his hands defensively. 

" -I don't really like chocolates." Rude finished. Reno blinked few times, gawking at him with stupidly opened mouth.

"...Oh."

Rude watched his partner's brows furrow, as he fixed his gaze back at the box, his cheeks glowing bright red in clear embarassment. It made Rude's heart sting with guilt. 

"I appreciate the gesture." He quickly said, trying to ease the awkwardness. Spinning the box in his fingers, Rude thought of something and smiled. 

"You know what we can do?" He spoke, making Reno's eyes meet his with a shine of interest.

They left the office together, leaving behind a small composition of three heart-shaped chocolates on a plate, tied together with a thin red ribbon on Elena's desk.

"Man, you're such a softie." Reno teased, chewing one of the chocolates. "The girl gonna flip when she sees that. She'll think it's from Tseng."

"Good." Rude smirked. "Now I have to think of something for you."

"I told ya, you don' hafta give me anythin'." Reno shrugged, hunching forward, with hands deep in his pockets. 

"Alright." Rude put a hand on his head and gently ruffled his hair. "I'm glad you're in my life too, partner."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever..." Reno mumbled, making a show of pushing him away and fixing his spikes. But he smiled, and kept smiling all the way to the Shinra Archives.


End file.
